Roman Tunica 2016

Here is a post that has been waiting to be posted for *three years* because somehow I missed it.

Also, I don't particularly like the way this tunica looks on me, so I don't wear it often and only reach for it when it is really hot.

We have some very hot days here in South Australia, and a collegium class presented by my talented friend Mistress Ursula von Memingen back in 2016 inspired me to sew a Roman style tunica.

I decided on the style which is billowed out over the bust above a belt. Basically, the style is two rectangles, which when hemmed, are sewn into a cylinder which is long enough to allow for the top part to be pulled out loosely and for the arms to fit in.

This pattern layout gives the basic idea, although my measurements would be different
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/273171533621522685/

I had some light blue linen, which I hand sewed. The edges of the fabric all have a thin edge turned over and hand sewed down. I  tried on the cylinder on to gauge where the neck edge should be and where the arm holes should end. I used safety pins to mark the spot on each side of the neck where the join should start and where the armhole should finish. I then extended my arms so that I could mark the spots where I would gather the top of arm seam to form decorative little bobbles.

The next step was to take off the rectangles and sew them up by hand with a whip stitch, leaving holes for the arms. I didn't sew the top or arm/neck edge because the bobbles would hold this seam together. I did put a few anchoring stitches in first though, for extra strength.

A small hem doubles over twice.

The little bobbles are basically just small puffs of the fabric with thread wrapped around them to form a base or a shank. Use pins or safety pins to mark and check the position before you sew, and make sure both sides have the bobbles in the same place. You could alternatively use decorative buttons, or pins/fibulae.

I bought some geometric trim to decorate the tunica, but I decided not to in the end. (I like it plain.)

Fresco Detail: The Dressing a Priestess or Bride,  Excavated in the palaestra of the Forum Baths at Herculaneum, 79 CE Image from: http://jeannepompadour.tumblr.com/post/66774756105/dressing-a-priestess-or-bridefound-in-the via Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/487585097132476822/

Me in the completed tunica and matching jewellery. I don't wear it much because I don't feel that it flatters my body type. A softer linen might have been more flattering and drape better.

Further reading on Roman Fashion: Croom, Alexandra 2010. Roman Clothing and Fashion ISBN: 9781848689770

Heat Wave (again)

Although it is technically Autumn, we are having a heat wave again where I live. I put some projects on hold temporarily to hand hem some linen to use as a palla to wear with my Roman garb.

Although I don't generally enjoy sewing, I find that I do enjoy plain hemming. The continuity of it is strangely meditative.

More Roman Earrings

Over the last month or two, I have been making some more Roman earrings with a view to possibly selling some in the future.

Pearl Roman Earrings

Continuing with the Roman garb-making theme, I also made a pair of freshwater pearl earrings-

Similar earrings can be seen in the Fayum mummy portraits below. I omitted the pearl at the top of the bar (where the earring hook joins the end bar) because I did not have any pearls of matching size and shape that would suit.



Image from: http://rebloggy.com/post/art-stare-ancient-art-john-berger-coptic-mummy-portraits-faiyum-mummy-portraits/58488181973
(I love this whole outfit!)


Image from: http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/Fayum5.html



Image from: http://foundinantiquity.com/2013/10/11/a-gallery-of-fayum-portraits/#jp-carousel-910

Blue and Silver Roman Earrings

As I mentioned in the last post, I will soon need a Roman outfit. I love making accessories (especially jewellery) because it provides almost instant impact for an outfit, and is usually relatively fast. Today I made a pair of earrings up in the Roman style. The findings are silver, and the stones are natural gemstones marketed as 'blue tiger's eye'. I used short silver eye hooks and end bars to make the earrings.

I use the little eye hook to bend the end of the eye hook around to make a neat loop.

The open end of the loop is threaded onto one of the holes on the bottom of the end bar and closed over.

When all the beaded eye hooks were attached, I added the earring hooks.

I also made up a simple string of blue glass beads to go with the earrings. The beads are strung on tiger tail wire and secured with crimps.

Although the beads are not all the same shade of blue, I think they make a nice set:

This jewellery was inspired by the Fayum mummy portraits, especially this image-

Image from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fayum-13.jpg

Hot weather and thinking of cooler garb styles

We have had a run of 40 degree celsius (plus) days where I live, which has made me really think about lighter types of pre-sixteenth century clothing. I am working on a lot of projects for other people right now, but a Roman tunica is on the cards. My SCA group also has a Viking event coming up this year, so I will be making some Viking garb down the track.

I have procrastinated about making Viking garb for many years, but have been accumulating the appropriate jewellery and beads along the way. This week I strung a couple of strings of beads to go with my turtle brooches. I did two strings, and left space for a couple more to be added in the years to come.